Rapidly adjustable press



March 11, 1952 c. v. M KENZIE RAPIDLY ADJUSTABLE PRESS Filed Feb. 27, 1950 INVENTOR CLARENCE w-cs-r McKENZ/E ATTORNEYS March 11, 1952 c. v. MCKENZIE RAPIDLY ADJUSTABLE PRESS 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed Feb. 27, 1950 INVENTOR CLARENCE w/vcewr MC. KE/VZIE BY 3" ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 11, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAPIDLY ADJUSTABLE PRESS Clarence Vincent McKenzie, Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada ApplicationFebruary 27 1950, Serial N 0. 146,607

7 Claims. 1,

This invention relates to a rapidly adjustable press particularly for vulcanizing patches on tubes for pneumatic tires, but which may be used for any other purpose.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a press which may be quickly opened and closed to receive and press articles of difierent thicknesses.

Another object is the provision of a press which may be rapidly and easily opened to a great extent and closed to press a relatively thin article.

A further object is the provision of a press having an anvil and a pressure plate with means for instantly retaining said plate at different positions spaced from the anvil.

Yet another object is the provision of a press particularly for vulcanizing patches on inner tubes for pneumatic tires which may be opened wide enough to allow a patch to be positioned properly on the tube, and quickly and easily closed to exert the required pressure on the patch and tube, said press also including means for applying heat to the patch on the tube.

This press includes a pressure plate mounted in line with an anvil. A support is mounted adjacent the plate and a handle having an opening therein which is slightly larger than the support fits over the latter. Means is provided for connecting the plate to the handle whereby the plate may be moved towards and away from the anvil. The handle may be moved along the support and when it is moved at an angle to said support, it binds thereon so that it more or less forms a base for carrying the pressure plate. At this time, the plate may be pressed against an article between it and the anvil.

An example of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the press in open position,

Figure 2 is a side elevation with press closed on piece of work before pressure is applied,

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 5-e-5 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, a support I is carried above a base I I by suitable supporting means, such as a curved arm [2. The support I 0 is preferably tubular so that it has a passage l extending therethrough. An anvil I1 is located between the base and the support, and is carried by a rod I8 which projects from said base. The anvil may be formed of any suitable material, and in this example it is formed of rubber.

A pressure plate "22 is mounted for movement in line with the anvil ii on the side thereof .remote from the base ill, but actually a rod 23 is connected at one end to the pressure plate and extends into the passage of the support II]. This pressure plate may be formed of rubber. It is preferable tohave the rods l8 and 23 and the support in line with each other. The pressure plate rod 23 has an elongated slot 24, formed in.

the portion thereof within the support ill, and a set screw 25 threaded through the Wall of the support extends into this slot to limit the movement of the rod 23 in the support.

As the illustrated press is primarily for vulcanizingpatches on inner tubes, it is desirable to provide the pressure plate 22 with a heating element 21 therein. Electrical conductors 28 extend from the heating element in the pressure plate and are adapted to be connected to a suitable source of electrical supply, not shown.

Ahandle 32 has an opening 33 therein through which the support it] projects. This opening is slightly larger than the support, as clearly seen in Figure 3. Suitable means connects the pressure plate to the handle and is operable to move said plate towards and away from the anvil. In this example, a lever 36 is pivotally mounted at "one end, at 3-1, on.a lug 38 extending outwardly from the rod 23 adjacent the pressure plate. This lug and the rod form a connection between the lever and the pressure plate. The lever extends roughly towards the handle 32, and a link 43 pivotally connected at 44 to the handle adjacent the support ii] extends towards the pressure plate, and a pivot 45 is provided for connecting said link to the lever 36. It is preferable to provide the lever with a projection :37! on the side thereof adjacent the pressure plate and spaced from the opposite ends of the lever, and the link is actually pivotally connected to this projection. The end 48 of the link may be forked so that the projection 41 extends into this fork.

When the handle 32 is moved up the support In far enough, the pressure plat 22 is drawn away from the anvil IT. The plate will remain in this position when the lever i released, since the weight thereof will tend to move the handle at an angle to the support ll) so that the former binds on the latter, see Figure 1. In order to close the press, it is only necessary to move. the handle 32 into a plane substantially at right angles to the support, at which time the handle may be moved down the support until the pres sure plate contacts the anvil H or a piece of of the link 43 and lever 36 is located to one side;

3 of a center line 52 extending through the pivots 37 and 44 of the outer ends of the lever and link respectively, as shown in full lines in Figure 2. In order to apply pressure by means of the plate 22, it is only necessary to move the end 54 of the lever towards the link 43 until the pivot point 45 is moved to the opposite side of the center line 52, shown in broken lines in Figure 2. As soon as the pivot point moves past the center line, the portion of the lever adjacent the pivot point engages the rod 23 so that it cannot move any further. At the same time, this action tends to move the link 43 upwardly so that said link moves the handle 32 to a position at an angle to the support I causing said handle to bind on the latter. The degree of pressure exerted by the pressure plates will depend upon the position of the handle 32 on the support at the time it binds thereon as the end 54 of the lever is moved towards the link. In order to open the press, the end of the lever is moved away from the link until the pivot 45 is on the outside of the center line 52. The handle may now be moved up the support to move the pressure plate away from the anvil.

As stated above the illustrated press is particularly for vulcanizing patches on inner tubes. The press is opened as much as is necessary merely by moving the handle 32 up the support. When the handle is released, it binds on the support to keep the pressure plate away from the anvil. A tube 58 having a patch 59 is placed on 4 means on opposite sides of a center line running through the link and lever pivot points, and means for stopping the movement of the pivot means on one side of the line just past said line.

4. A rapidly adjustable press comprising an anvil, a rod slidably mounted in line with the anvil, a pressure plate on an end of the rod adjacent the anvil, a vertical support adjacent the plate, a handle having an opening therein slightly larger than the support and through which the latter projects, said handle being carried by the support when the former lies at an angle to and binds on the latter, and means connecting the plate to the handle operable to move said plate towards and away from the anvil when the handle binds on the support.

5. A rapidly adjustable press comprising an anvil, a tubular support spaced from and in line with the anvil, a rod slidably mounted in the support, a pressure plate on an end of the rod adjacent the anvil, a handle having an opening therein slightly larger than the support and through which the latter projects, said handle the anvil. Then the handle is moved down the support until the pressure plate rests on the patch. After the lever has been moved towards the link to press the plate against the patch, the heat from the element 2! in the plate vulcanizes the patch to the tube. The pressure is released by moving the lever away from the link and the tube is freed by moving the handle up the support.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A rapidly adjustable press comprising an anvil, a pressure plate mounted for movement in line with the anvil, a stationary support adjacent the plate, a handle having an opening therein slightly larger than the support and through which the latter projects, said handle being carried by the support when the former lies at an angle to and binds on the latter, and means connecting the plate to the handle operable to move said plate towards and away from the anvil:

2. A rapidly adjustable press comprising an anvil, a pressure plate mounted for movement in line with the anvil, a support adjacent the plate, a handle having an opening therein slightly larger than the support and through which the latter projects, said handle being carried by the support when the former lies at an angle to and binds on the latter, a lever connected at one end to the plate, and a link connecting the lever to the handle.

3. A rapidly adjustable press comprising an anvil, a pressure plate mounted for movement in line with the anvil, a support adjacent the plate, a handle having an opening therein slightly larger than the support and through which the latter projects, said handle being carried by the support when the former lies at an angle to and binds on the latter, a lever pivotally connected at one end to the plate and extending towards the handle, a link pivotally connected at one end to the handle and extending towards the plate, means pivotally connecting the link to the lever, said lever being operable to move the pivot being carried by the support when the former lies at an angle to and binds on the latter, and means connecting the plate to the handle operable to move said plate towards and away from the anvil when the handle binds on the support.

6. A rapidly adjustable press comprising an anvil, a tubular support spaced from and in line with the anvil, a rod slidably mounted in the support, a pressure plate on an end of the rod adjacent the anvil, a handle having an opening therein slightly larger than the support and through which the latter projects, said handle being carried by the support when the former lies at an angle to and binds on the latter, a lever connected at one end to the plate, and a link connecting the lever to the handle.

7. A rapidly adjustable press comprising an anvil, a tubular support spaced from and in line with the anvil, a rod slidably mounted in the support, a pressure plate on an end of the rod adjacent the anvil, a handle having an opening therein slightly larger than the support and through which the latter projects, said handle being carried. by the support when the former lies at an angle to and binds on the latter, a lever pivotally connected at one end to the plate and extending towards the handle, a link pivotally connected at one end to the handle and extending towards the plate, means pivotally connecting the link to the lever, said lever being operable to move the pivot means on opposite sides of a center line running through the link and lever pivot points, and means for stopping the movement of the pivot means on one side of the line just past said line.

CLARENCE VINCENT MCKENZIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

